Welfare rights news and case law

25 October, 2022

Lords debate motion on failure of universal credit managed migration regulations to take adequate steps to protect claimants from financial hardship

In particular, peers raise concerns over the government's lack of transparency about its 'discovery phase' and potential pitfalls in relation to transitional protection

24 October, 2022

Government must develop a long-term vision for role of contributory benefits, says Social Security Advisory Committee

Advisory body recommends that end goal should be to integrate both new style JSA and new style ESA into universal credit

21 October, 2022

Joint Committee on Human Rights launches call for evidence on the draft Bereavement Benefits (Remedial) Order 2022

In particular, Committee seeks views on whether the proposed Order addresses the unjustified discrimination identified in the McLaughlin and Jackson cases

21 October, 2022

Provisions relating to national insurance credits for unemployment do not only apply to people who are jobseeker’s allowance claimants

KL v the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
[2022] UKUT 270 (AAC)
UA-2021-000270-JSA

21 October, 2022

Two-thirds of appeals against decisions made under DWP’s Risk Review Process were either lapsed or resulted in decision being overturned

DWP figures for period from January 2022 show that 54 appeals have been completed, of which 22 were lapsed and 14 resulted in decision being overturned

21 October, 2022

Councils in England encouraged to use existing discretionary powers to disregard compensation payments from infected blood scheme in calculation of council tax support

Council tax information letter to local authorities also confirms disregard of cost of living payments and changes to schemes from April 2023 that limit eligibility of additional groups subject to immigration control

20 October, 2022

PIP light touch reviews will involve ‘minimum necessary contact’ with claimant

Minister provides update, with the first PIP claims of ten-year duration coming up for review next year

20 October, 2022

Second cost of living payment for those receiving tax credits only to be made between 23 and 30 November 2022

Updated guidance confirms that £324 will be paid automatically by HMRC to eligible claimants

20 October, 2022

Work and Pensions Committee calls on Chancellor to give an assurance to uprate social security benefits in line with inflation in April 2023

Committee Chair highlights urgency of honouring the commitment previously given in the light of government's recent decision to restrict energy price guarantee to just six months

20 October, 2022

National insurance gains for low-paid workers will be dwarfed by income losses if benefits are uprated by earnings rather than inflation

CPAG and Action for Children set out analysis of income cuts faced by workers in different professions, including loss of more than £600 per year for a hospital porter with two children

19 October, 2022

Prime Minister says that she and Chancellor are ‘completely committed’ to the state pension triple lock

Assurance to MPs follows yesterday's Downing Street briefing that Prime Minister and Chancellor are 'not making any commitments on individual policy areas at this point'

19 October, 2022

Even if benefits are increased in line with inflation in April 2023, their real value will be 6 per cent lower than pre-pandemic levels

New IFS analysis identifies shortfall of £500 per year for average working-age claimant as a result of below-inflation benefit increase in April this year

19 October, 2022

Child benefit backdating following grant of refugee status in circumstances where Home Office decision letter said claim cannot be made prior to receipt of Biometric Residence Permit

Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs v BZ
[2022] UKUT 264 (AAC)
UA-2021-000866-CHB

18 October, 2022

Chancellor refuses to confirm that benefits will be uprated by inflation or that state pension triple lock will be adhered to

However, Mr Hunt tells MPs that all decisions will be made 'through the prism of what matters most to the most vulnerable'

18 October, 2022

Bill to require Work and Pensions Secretary to report to Parliament on likely effects of abolition of benefit cap receives first reading

Benefit Cap (Report on Abolition) Bill includes requirements to report effect of abolition on claimant groups such as women and lone parents, and on levels of poverty, poor mental health, evictions and problem debt

18 October, 2022

Peers criticise DWP for failing to provide clear explanatory material for policy change that tightened up in-work conditionality requirements for universal credit claimants

Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee highlights that material originally produced by Department to explain increase in administrative earnings threshold did not give affected claimants a full picture of how or why the policy change was being implemnented

18 October, 2022

UN poverty expert warns that ‘lives will be lost’ unless governments increase benefits and wages in line with inflation

Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights also calls on governments around the world to involve people in poverty in design of policies to tackle soaring cost of living

17 October, 2022

Food aid networks call on Prime Minister to end need for charitable food aid by ensuring everyone has enough income from work and social security

More than 3,000 support staff sign letter warning that their organisations are struggling to cope as demand for support outstrips food and financial donations

17 October, 2022

Local Government Association calls for government to take urgent action to improve low take up of Healthy Start scheme vouchers

New analysis shows that almost 150,000 eligible families are missing out on vouchers every month